Campobello veteran receives free hot tub to cope with PTSD

Local veteran Chad Hightower, left, returned from service in Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder. Dimension One Spas teamed up with Tim Love, right, owner of The Pool and Spa Connection, to put in a free hot tub at Hightower's home to help with his physical and mental healing.

Published: Thursday, October 31, 2013 at 3:15 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, November 1, 2013 at 12:14 a.m.

Chad Hightower returned from his second tour of duty in Iraq two years ago bearing the emotional and physical pain of life in a war zone.

After suffering through long days in the heat, sporadic small arms fire, the occasional pot shot from an insurgent with a mortar or rocket, and being away from his wife and three children, the U.S. Army first sergeant found it hard to adjust to a quiet life at home.

"Psychologically, when you're constantly in a fight-or-flight mindset, you morph into a different person," said Hightower, 39, of Campobello.

"Coming home was the hardest part. The deployment is easy by comparison. You know what you're supposed to do. There's always someone there to pick you up. ... You have to make a decision that you have to leave all of that destruction in that country, or you'll end up bringing it home with you."

Hightower was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and a medical condition in his joints that makes even the simplest physical tasks agonizingly painful.

But thanks to the actions of his kindhearted neighbor, Frank Thomas, Hightower soon will have a quiet place to relax, heal and reflect upon his war experiences.

Recently, Thomas was having some repair work done on his hot tub and was conversing with representatives from the manufacturer, Dimension One Spas. He asked whether the company would be willing to donate a unit to Hightower.

The company agreed to do it. The hot tub was delivered this week and was installed free-of-charge Thursday by Pool & Spa Connection, owned by local businessman Tim Love.

"My wife has a lot of chronic pain, and I know how much it has helped her," said Thomas, a transplant to Campobello from Connecticut. "I know it's going to help him. ... It's just a way to say thank you for everything that he's done for our country."

"It's a small token of our gratitude for what he has sacrificed ... the things we take for granted," Love said. "We're glad to do it."

Hightower served with Bravo Company of the National Guard's 151st Signal Battalion. His primary mission was to facilitate communications for troops stationed all over the country.

Hightower's first deployment lasted 15 months in 2003 and 2004. He was at a staging area on the Kuwait/Iraq border. His second deployment lasted 11 months in 2010 and 2011, and his company split time among Nasiriya, Tallil and Mosul.

Born and raised on farmland that his family settled on in the early 1800s, the Chapman High School and Spartanburg Community College graduate said his deployment in the desert was a "less than pleasant" experience.

His first taste of home came late in his second tour in northern Iraq. He saw a flock of mourning doves. He picked up one of the bird's feathers and folded it into the second volume of a journal he wrote for his children titled "Road to War."

He remembered seeing a woman with her blonde hair flowing in the breeze. For a moment, he imagined it was his wife, Anna.

Hightower earned a Bronze Star for merit. He keeps a piece of shrapnel from a rocket propelled grenade that tore a 2-foot hole in a concrete building he was in.

"One of the most difficult things for me to grasp was the extent that a man would go to kill or maim another man," he said. "It amazes me."

The veteran said he was deeply impacted by the bravery and dedication of his soldiers, particularly the younger ones on his second tour.

He said each deployment, with the buildup and training factored in, actually took about three years. The biggest challenge since his return home has been assuming the leadership role in his home that for so long was occupied by his wife.

"When you thank a soldier, don't forget to thank that soldier's family," Hightower said. "They are the ones left behind. Their roles change. That takes a long time to get worked out. We're still struggling through some of that."

Hightower said he has a hard time being in crowds. He can't go to movie theaters and is always suspicious of people carrying backpacks. It's a protective mindset he can't escape and few people understand, he said.

He said he'll never forget his welcoming party after his last deployment. It was one World War II veteran in a wheelchair. With tears in his eyes, Hightower described how he made eye contact with the man. The two men passed each other in silence, sharing a moment of understanding, respect and brotherhood.

"It's nice to know that after such a difficult year some people are grateful for your service," Hightower said. "It's extremely nice to know that somebody cares."

<p>Chad Hightower returned from his second tour of duty in Iraq two years ago bearing the emotional and physical pain of life in a war zone.</p><p>After suffering through long days in the heat, sporadic small arms fire, the occasional pot shot from an insurgent with a mortar or rocket, and being away from his wife and three children, the U.S. Army first sergeant found it hard to adjust to a quiet life at home.</p><p>"Psychologically, when you're constantly in a fight-or-flight mindset, you morph into a different person," said Hightower, 39, of Campobello. </p><p>"Coming home was the hardest part. The deployment is easy by comparison. You know what you're supposed to do. There's always someone there to pick you up. ... You have to make a decision that you have to leave all of that destruction in that country, or you'll end up bringing it home with you."</p><p>Hightower was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and a medical condition in his joints that makes even the simplest physical tasks agonizingly painful.</p><p>But thanks to the actions of his kindhearted neighbor, Frank Thomas, Hightower soon will have a quiet place to relax, heal and reflect upon his war experiences.</p><p>Recently, Thomas was having some repair work done on his hot tub and was conversing with representatives from the manufacturer, Dimension One Spas. He asked whether the company would be willing to donate a unit to Hightower.</p><p>The company agreed to do it. The hot tub was delivered this week and was installed free-of-charge Thursday by Pool & Spa Connection, owned by local businessman Tim Love.</p><p>"My wife has a lot of chronic pain, and I know how much it has helped her," said Thomas, a transplant to Campobello from Connecticut. "I know it's going to help him. ... It's just a way to say thank you for everything that he's done for our country."</p><p>"It's a small token of our gratitude for what he has sacrificed ... the things we take for granted," Love said. "We're glad to do it."</p><p>Hightower served with Bravo Company of the National Guard's 151st Signal Battalion. His primary mission was to facilitate communications for troops stationed all over the country. </p><p>Hightower's first deployment lasted 15 months in 2003 and 2004. He was at a staging area on the Kuwait/Iraq border. His second deployment lasted 11 months in 2010 and 2011, and his company split time among Nasiriya, Tallil and Mosul.</p><p>Born and raised on farmland that his family settled on in the early 1800s, the Chapman High School and Spartanburg Community College graduate said his deployment in the desert was a "less than pleasant" experience.</p><p>His first taste of home came late in his second tour in northern Iraq. He saw a flock of mourning doves. He picked up one of the bird's feathers and folded it into the second volume of a journal he wrote for his children titled "Road to War." </p><p>He remembered seeing a woman with her blonde hair flowing in the breeze. For a moment, he imagined it was his wife, Anna.</p><p>Hightower earned a Bronze Star for merit. He keeps a piece of shrapnel from a rocket propelled grenade that tore a 2-foot hole in a concrete building he was in.</p><p>"One of the most difficult things for me to grasp was the extent that a man would go to kill or maim another man," he said. "It amazes me."</p><p>The veteran said he was deeply impacted by the bravery and dedication of his soldiers, particularly the younger ones on his second tour.</p><p>He said each deployment, with the buildup and training factored in, actually took about three years. The biggest challenge since his return home has been assuming the leadership role in his home that for so long was occupied by his wife.</p><p>"When you thank a soldier, don't forget to thank that soldier's family," Hightower said. "They are the ones left behind. Their roles change. That takes a long time to get worked out. We're still struggling through some of that."</p><p>Hightower said he has a hard time being in crowds. He can't go to movie theaters and is always suspicious of people carrying backpacks. It's a protective mindset he can't escape and few people understand, he said.</p><p>He said he'll never forget his welcoming party after his last deployment. It was one World War II veteran in a wheelchair. With tears in his eyes, Hightower described how he made eye contact with the man. The two men passed each other in silence, sharing a moment of understanding, respect and brotherhood. </p><p>"It's nice to know that after such a difficult year some people are grateful for your service," Hightower said. "It's extremely nice to know that somebody cares."</p>